@wiyosaya I was an addict when I smoked, that is certain with over a pack per day, sometimes two. Not to mention the severe withdrawal that I would go through without a cigarette. I'm no longer an addict. I used to binge drink too, though I've also had that under control for a long time. I found Jesus, joking, I found purpose and self control.
Let's do some math:
The average cigarette contains 2mg of nicotine. I used to smoke 30+ cigarettes per day, that's 60mg+ of nicotine. Now I vape ejuice with 0.5mg/ml of nicotine. I go through about 2ml per day. That's 1mg of nicotine I'm consuming vs the 60mg+ I used to with smoking (equivalent to half a cigarette) and without the 7000+ other chemicals. If you ate 10 eggplants, you would consume the same 1mg of nicotine. Even if I was smoking half a cigarette per day, I wouldn't be concerned, and vaping is far less harmful.
I enjoy my morning coffee every weekday with a complimentary bitter tasting vape, sometimes another coffee in the afternoon. I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner on weekends and after dinner I enjoy vaping a delicious creamy fruit or pastry type flavour rather than eating dessert. When I have time to sit back and read a book, I'll vape too. I enjoy all of these things in moderation.
Not everyone that consumes a less than moral substance is an addict, despite what you may believe as an ex-addict. Anyways, live and let live. If you want to call me an addict, that's your prerogative. I'll continue defending everyone's right to choose, to live their life how they want, and their right to less harmful alternatives.
@MaXtor Congratulations! It sounds like you have come a long way from where you started,
When I quit smoking, I was smoking two packs a day of Camel unfiltered cigarettes. Quitting is not easy. I know. Perhaps the only reason that I quit, and I am glad that I did - I cannot see myself ever going back - is that at the time, I had a heart attack. The suggested recovery at that time was to do very little - not even leave my house. I had my father get rid of my cigarettes and I certainly was not going to leave my house to buy any - so I quit cold turkey. I do not really remember much about the experience. It was a long time ago, but whatever the experience, I endured it.
Interestingly enough, my father did not get rid of my cigarettes. He hid them. I found them several years later and was angry that he just hid them, but I just threw them out and forgave him for just hiding them. I was glad they were out of sight and out of mind.
I also experienced many other substances - alcohol, daily MJ, and various other things, too. Those are long gone from my life with an occasional glass of wine - maybe once a year - usually less.
For me, the amount of any substance I consumed lost its meaning. Yes, there are things out there that require a certain amount to become physically addicting. I will not go so far as to say there are no substances that could be considered totally harmless. Take the venom of the blue ringed octopus, for example -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-ringed_octopus or the cone snail
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cone_snail even tiny amounts of their venom will kill a human rapidly. However, if you encounter one of these critters and you stay away from them, you might say that their venom is harmless because you avoided it. To some extent, what is done with anything determines its nature - and whether is it good or bad. Botox (yes, I know it tends to be used for vanity purposes) is an example of a dangerous substance that when used in small amounts can be beneficial.
Quantities became irrelevant for me because I asked myself a question. That question was why did I use these things? It was, perhaps, the most important question I ever asked myself. I did a deep dive within to face my shadow aspects and at least attempt to find the answers. I still actively pursue those aspects to this day because it helps me grow.
I get the feeling that you are not all that appreciative of my posting information that is contrary to what you have posted. That's OK. If I were in your position, and I see aspects of who I used to be in the past in you, I would not appreciate it either.
From my perspective, with respect to your posts - especially those that imply vaping is safer than smoking - I ask myself who are you trying to convince? Those here at TS, someone else, yourself? That is not a question for me to answer, and it is not a question to which you owe me any answers. As I see it, however, an answer to that question has the potential to shine some light on the road ahead of you.
For me, paraphrasing Chogyam Trungpa, the biggest battles I fight are with myself.
